The jury is still out on the effects of light social drinking on the cardiac patient, especially the red wine controversy. As a nurse at a detox with many alcoholic cardiac patients, I believe that the less drinking you do, the better. Alcohol opens some blood vessels, and narrows others, all of which is unnatural and stressful to the body. Moderate and heavy drinking definitely contributes to the risk of second heart attacks... When you do drink, keep it to one or two, and not very often... Best, Ed, RN